Inflammatory skin diseases like acne are almost non-existent in rural and hunter-gatherer communities. However, more than 80% of teenagers and around 4% of adults across the modern world suffer from acne. Over-sterilised homes, processed diets, and chronic stress have resulted in hyper-reactive skin which is prone to acne. Fortunately, bioclinical skincare brand, Esse, has formulated a unique Clarifying Range that shifts the skin’s microbiome for a more targeted approach to acne.
“Acne is a symptom of our modern lifestyle,” explains Trevor Steyn, Founder of Esse. “Antibiotics, disinfectants, chemical-based cosmetics, and pollutants are stripping our skin of their natural microbes, leading to reduced skin health. We can’t necessarily go back to living as farmers or hunter-gatherers, so we need to reseed our skin with live probiotics. Esse seeks to rewild the skin by creating an environment that allows your natural microbial diversity to return.”
Why Esse’s approach to acne is different
1. It uses live probiotics
Acne is a result of skin inflammation and live probiotics are shown to have a sustainable anti-inflammatory effect. The Esse Clarifying Range introduces four strains of live Lactobacillus probiotics at more than 1 billion colony-forming units per millilitre. Lactobacillus is a healthy contributor to the skin microbiome, shown to significantly reduce inflammation and to improve skin hydration and wound healing.
2. It’s effective
Scientific data from clinical testing shows that the Clarifying Range produces remarkable results:
• 64% reduction in inflamed lesions in 8 weeks.
• 45% reduction in total lesions in 8 weeks.
• 46% more effective than traditional topical retinoid (adapalene) treatment.
• 90% as effective as retinoid & antibiotic combination therapy, without microbiome destruction.
• Over 30x less likely to result in adverse reactions than retinoid (tretinoin) treatment.
3. It shifts the skin’s microbial balance
When the skin is constantly stripped of its microbes, it has no protection against pathogenic microbes, which will easily establish themselves, resulting in skin disorders like acne. Esse’s Clarifying Range rewilds the skin with living microbes, shifting the microbial ecology towards a healthy, diverse ecosystem. This allows the skin to effectively protect itself from acne-promoting microbes.
4. It addresses the cause of acne
Esse’s new approach of using microbiome science to formulate high-tech, all-natural products means users are actually addressing the cause of acne, rather than just the symptoms. The Esse Clarifying Range seeds the skin with probiotics and feeds the microbiome with prebiotic nutrients to promote a balanced ecology on the skin. This restores barrier function and treats chronic inflammation – the underlying cause of problem skin.
5. It has unique ingredients
Each of the four products in the Esse Clarifying Range consists of uniquely selected ingredients that work to address the underlying causes of acne. Four of the key ingredients are:
- Lactobacillus to shift the populations of bacteria on the skin and improve inflammatory response;
- Provitamin D to provide the immune response regulation activity of vitamin D;
- Bakuchiol to control bacterial overgrowth and maintain sebum integrity. Bakuchiol is an alternative to retinoids, shown to deliver the same results but without the nasty side effects; and
- Niacinamide to reduce inflammation.
6. It’s ethical and sustainable
Esse is committed to providing skincare that is ethical and sustainable for the environment and for the people using it. Users of the Esse Clarifying Range can be assured that it’s:
- Certified organic by EcoCert;
- ‘No harm’ with accreditation from PETA and Beauty Without Cruelty; and
- Plastic- and carbon-neutral.
The Esse Clarifying Range
Clarifying Cleanser, 100ml – R450
Gently detoxifying, this non-foaming and non-stripping charcoal-infused cleanser soothes with probiotic extracts. Salicylic Acid is included to gently exfoliate and balance pH to ensure a balanced microbiome.
Clarifying Oil, 15ml – R830
A light, easily-absorbed facial oil which contains a synergy of live probiotics to shift the microbiome and act as a sebum support to reduce the skin’s oil production. Pro-Vitamin D helps to boost an essential component of healthy skin.
Clarifying Serum, 30ml – R1 510
A skin supplement with 2% Salicylic Acid to help keep pores clear and Niacinamide to regulate oil production. Probiotic extracts and Prebiotic nutrients boost the skin’s barrier function. For best results, use after the Clarifying Oil.
Spot Corrector, 10ml – R495
A targeted spot treatment packed with Salicylic Acid, Bakuchiol and Niacinamide to ensure spot and inflammation relief.
To find out more about the Esse Clarifying Range and its targeted approach to modern-day acne, visit www.esseskincare.com
